Electrical connecting and supporting device



E. C. WHITE.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1920.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST CAN TELO WHITE, 0F NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC OUTLET COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE.

Application led April 9,

'To-all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST CANTELO WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of the Bronx of the city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Connecting and Supporting Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, hereof.

In the following mentioned applications filed by the present applicant there are shown and described several diierent embodiments of an improved supporting device for electrical appliances in which connection with a source of current. supply is made upon application of the supporting element to a receptacle or the like:

Ser. No. 350,688 filed January 10, 1920;

363,419 March 5,

The principal object of the present invention is to provide in an electrical conducting and supporting device an electrical receptacle which has entrance openings to receive the straight blades of an attachment plug and the conducting and supporting members of a fixture supporting plug separately, and terminals to frictionally engage the said blades and the said members, the receptacle having bearing surfaces inaccessible to the blades for the support of the Xture. In the illustrated embodiment there is shown such a receptacle for the straight horizontal blades for a tandem attachment plug, and for the straight parallel blades of a standard attachment plug.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description' proceeds, the illustrated construction having incorporated therein several practical features of improvement over the devices shown in said copending ap- K plications.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in vertical section of an improved receptacle showing an electrical appliance supported thereon through an improved supporting plug, parts of the receptacle being removed in the interest of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the improved receptacle showing one arrange- Specication of Letters Patent.

forming a part 1920. Serial No. 372,383.

ment of slots thereinfor receiving the arms of the improved supporting plug and the terminals of attachment plugs.

Flg. 3 ris a view in horizontal section through an outlet box in which is supported the improved receptacle, part of the receptacle being shown in plan and part being broken away to show the application of an attachment plug thereto.

F 1g. 4c is a view in elevation of the improved supporting plug.

1Fig. 4a is a view in perspective of the p ug.

Figs. 5 and 6 are det-ail views of one of the contact plates employed in the improved receptacle, Fig. 5 indicating one of the straight blades of a standard attachment plug in the groove of the plate and in frictional engagement with the terminal.

Before describing in detail the practical features of construction which are considered of importance in the improved structure, so much of the coperating elements will be described as will be necessary for an understanding of one means for carrying out the principal improvement which consists in bringing into combination with electrical connecting and supporting devices for electrical appliances, means for connecting ordinary attachment. plugs of any approved form to one element of the improved electrical connecting and supporting devices. In carrying out this phase of the invention it will be manifest that no limitations are to be imposed on the specific character of the supporting receptacle nor on the specific character of the supporting plug, since the invention is much broader than the application of attachment plugs to receptacles of the specific form constituting generally the subject matter of the above mentioned applications.

As shown in Fig. l the ordinary outlet box a has supported therein a ush receptacle, indicated generally at b, and this receptacle has in its front wall slots b to receive the arms c of a supporting plug c for an electrical appliance. When the plug c is applied to the receptacle b by introducing the arms c into the slots b', electrical connection is simultaneously established between said arms and the source of current supply which may be derived through leads al. The broadest aspect of the invention contemplates the incorporation in some Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Vsuch receptacle, as is indicatedat b', in combination with the means for supporting and connecting electrical appliances, such as are illustrated by the plug c with its arms c, means for receiving and connecting attachment plugs, such as e, with the source of current supply d. As shown in the drawing, the face of the receptacle b is provided with additional slots b2 into which may be introduced the terminals e of an attachment plug such as e. Into the slots b might be introduced an attachment plug having terminals which are disposed in parallelism to one another and so spaced as to enter said slots. For convenience a tandem arrangement of slotsl b', b2 has been illustrated and these slots will receive terminals arranged in the relationship now most commonly employed in attachment plugs, as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art. However, the invention is in nowise limited to the particular form or relation of the slots to receive the terminals of attachment plugs, since it is broad enough to include in combination with such slots as b to receive supporting arms for an electrical appliance, additional slots at any part of the receptacle to receive the terminals ofI attachment plugs, the underlying thought of the invenp side walls of the central block b4 and the outer blocks b3 and b5 may be secured metallic terminal plates g, lz., of generally symmetrical form. A description of one of the plates, such as g illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, will apply to both. This plate has formed therein a slot g which is preferably curved, for a reason which will later appear, and carries a terminal screw g2 to which may be secured one of the leads t to energize the plate. The mouth of the slot g registers with the slot b', so that when one of the arms c is introduced through the slot b it will pass along the groove g. On the face of the plate g is secured a spring terminal ga which is of such form as to receive the terminal arms e of the type of attachment pug e for which the receptacle is designed.

ith the type of plug shown in Fig. 3 the spring arms g3 receive terminal arms e which areA disposed generally in the same horizontal plane. When the arms e of the attachment plug e pass through the slots b2 be energized by engagement therewith ory by engagement with the side edges of the terminals g3, as best indicated in Figs. 5 and.

It will be understood, of course that'the insulating blocks 178,12*, 'blwhich, when bolted together, constitutel'the body of the block b, may be so cut ormolded as to afford adequate space for the portions. of the contact plates g, it, and Atheir accessories, although it is desirable torhave the iit between the plates and the various blocks snug vso as to hold the parts against relative displacement.- Around the centerblock b4 may be passed a strip z' which terminates in lugs i vwhich may be secured by screws 7c to the outlet box a, for the su port of the receptacle within the box. owever, other means for supporting the receptacle Z; in the box may be employed. The l,strap z, if desired, may be bent over the lface ofthe central block b4 and then reversely bent upon itself to cover the extending lugs i and the reversely bent portion be apertured to receive screws l by which an ornamental wall plate m'may be supported. in position. All of these details, however, may be changed to conform to best practice taking into ac.- count compactness, appearance, strength and expense.

The block c is formed of two insulating blocks c2, c3 secured together by means of bolts m. One of the blocks c3 is provided with slots through which pass the curved conductor arms c and these arms are carried with the plate c* to which is secured a bindingr screw n for the conducting wire 0 of the electrical appliance indicated generally at o. Two wires and two binding screws n are, of course, employed, these screws being applied to the separate conductor arms c, c. Around the blocks 02, 03 may pass a metallic reinforcing and binding plate extended at one point to form a hook the reverse face of Which may be beveled. The screws n may pass through the plate p in the interest of additional strength and security. The appliance o may carry on its base a transverse bridge 02 which, when the appliance is to be engaged with the supporting plug c is passed downwardly and engaged with the beveled face of the hook p.

From the description given it is evident that when the improved connecting and supporting devices are to be employed, the supporting plug chavinfr had its conductor arms c connected electrically with the wires o of the appliance o is engaged with the receptacle d by introducing the arms c into the slots b. The arms c pass rearwardly along the grooves g', etc. of the plates g, ji., thereby becoming energized andi creating a strong and rigid support for the appliance. The appliance is then engaged, as by means of the bridge o2, with the hook p and the plug c is thereby locked in engagement with the receptacle against accidental removal or dislodgment. This is alll in ac cordance with the principles described in the copending applications hereinbefore identified. When an attachment plug of any form is to be connected electrically with a source of current supply, it is evident that the improved receptacle b affords a convenient connecting medium therefor. The plug e may have its conductors e introduced through the slots b2 into engagement with the terminals g3, or if the plug have parallel terminals such terminals may enter the slots b and be energized by engagement with the plates g, h, or with the terminals g3 carried thereon. As pointed out hereinbefore slots for attachment plugs having other relation and form than the tandem form shown herein may be incorporated in the improved receptacle and the details of the interior structure of the receptacle might be changed as desired.

I claim as my invention:

l. An electrical receptacle formed with an entrance opening to receive the straight blade of an attachment plug, also the conducting and supporting member of a fixture supporting plug, of similar cross-section, and including Within the receptacle terminal means to frictionally engage the said blade and the said member, the said receptacle and terminal means including bearing surfaces for the said member having portions spaced apart from positions accessible to the said blade.

2. An electrical receptacle formed With an entrance opening to receive the straight blade of an attachment plug, also the conducting and supporting member of a fixture supporting plug. of similar' cross-section, and including within the receptacle a terminal plate formed with bearing surfaces perpendicular to the plate for the said member, the said plate carrying means to frictionally engage the said blade and the said member, the said bearing surfaces having portions spaced apart from positions accessible to the said blade.

3. An electrical receptacle formed with entrance openings to receive, separately, .the straight blades of an -attachment plug and the curved conducting and supportinr members of a fixture supporting plug and including Within the receptacle terminals to frictionally engage the said blades and the said members, the said receptacle and terminals including bearing surfaces for the sides of the said members nearest to the fixture supporting plug.

4. An electrical receptacle formed with two entrance openings to receive, separately, the straight, flat blades of an attachment plug and the curved, flat conducting and supporting members of a fixture supporting plug, and including Within the receptacle terminal plates formed with bearing surfaces for the sides .of the said members nearest to the fixture supporting plug, the said terminal plates including -means to frictionally engage the said blades and the said members. l

5. An electrical receptacle formed with two parallel entrance openings to receive, separately, the straight, flat blades of an attachment plug and the curved, flat conducting and supporting members of a fixture supporting plug, and also formed with entrance openings to receive the horizontal blades of an attachment plug, and including within the receptacle terminals to frictionally engage said blades and the said members, said receptacle being provided with common terminals for said blades and said members, and said receptacle and terminals including bearing surfaces for the said members spaced apart from positions accessible to the said blades.

This specification signed this 26th day of March A. D. 1920.

ERNEST CANTEL() WHITE. 

